Plate type heat exchanger



Sept. 16, 1952 B. DALZELL PLATE TYPE HEAT EXCHANGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24. 1947 INVENTOR. ares Z5. Dalzell Y Sept. 16, 1952 c. B. DALZELL PLATE TYPE HEAT EXCHANGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24. 1947 mmvrm Charles. B D0 lzell PLATE TYPE HEAT EXCHANGER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 24. 1947 INVEN TOR.

Chawie B. Dal 2611 Patented Sept. 16, 1952 s PATENT OFFICE PLATE TYPE HEAT EXCHANGER Charles B. Dalzell, Little Falls, N. Y., assignor to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Wilmington, Del.,

a corporation Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 730,422

6 Claims (01 257-445) This invention relates to apparatus such, for example, as plate type of heat exchangers, filter presses and the like in which a plurality of platelike elements or plate-like elements and spacers or frame-like elements are operatively supported in a press or frame in close side-by-side juxtaposition; More specifically, this invention relates to the new and novel improvements in the arrangement and construction of the supporting framework and the plate-like elements for. the support of the plate-like elements during the operation of the device, and for the support of the plate-like elements during cleaning and inspection of the device, and to a support arrangement wherein the plate-like elements may be readily moved for further inspection, exchange or replacement.

The present invention is particularly well adapted for use in connection with plate type of heat exchangers of the class generally used in the processing dairy products such as milk, etc., and similar foods. of the invention the preferred embodiment of the invention will be described as a sanitarily 'designed plate type of heat exchanger of the class commonly used in dairy. products processing plants in which the present invention may be readily adapted.

It should, however, be understood that it is not intended or desired to' limit the invention to the illustrated and described preferred embodi ment thereof. i I

In the operation of the plate type heat exchangers it has been found that the use of thin metal plates adds appreciably to the heat exchange efliciency which may be attained by the use of such device. The use of relatively fragile heat exchange elements obviously necessitates frequent inspection and examination of the heat exchange element for defects which may develop as the result of usage Frequent inspection and cleaning is also necessary when such plate type of apparatus is used in connection with the processing of foods. The operation of a plate type of heat exchange apparatus at high heat exchange eiiiciencies usually entails the employment of rapid flow conditions in the heat exchange media and the associate highpressures in such media. Those operating conditions necessitate frequent removal of the plate-like elements from the press or framework to determine, if

possible, whether or not any defects have developed and to permit the correction of observed defects.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this in- In the following description like elements upon a secondary support orthey may be supported independently of other platelike elements upon a primary support and maintained in generally upright position thereon by engagement with a secondary support or stabilizer; in which the individual plate-like elements may be removed from the press or support with relative ease and new or additional plate-like elements added or old plate-like elements replaced; in which the individual plate-like ele- ,ments when in operative position are supported upon a main support; and in which the platelike elements are slidably supported on and locked to the supporting framework.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be pointed out and more fully described in the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure -l is a front elevational view of an im-.

proved plate-like element for a plate type heat exchanger embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure l of the drawings.

Figures 3 and 4 are explanatory views illustrating the procedure to be followed in moving plate-like elements from a press or supporting framework from operative positions to positions in'which the elements may easily be inspected and cleaned. I

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a plate type heat exchanger, embodying the present invention, in which the plate-like elements and compression elements, as well as spacing and fluid connecting frames or headers, are assembled I inoperative positions into a support or press.

Figure '6 is aplan view of the plate heat exchanger as shown in Figure 5 in the drawings, in which the auxiliarysupport or locking rod has been partially removed from operative position in the press and some of the plate-like elements removed from the press.

, Referring to the drawings, in which like elements are identified by like numerals, l0 and H represent the vertical risers or base elements of the plate heat exchanger frame or press. The frame or press also includes the transverse and horizontally disposed main or lower support rod I2 and the upper or stabilizing rod I3, all securely fixed together to form a rigid supporting framework or press. The auxiliary support or pivot rod I 4 is disengageably securedto the riser III by screw threads (not shown) or any-other satisfactory conventional arrangement to secure a readily disengageable fastening.

A suitable number of plate-like elements or plates, generally identified by thenumeralfIiS. when in operative position are supported upon the lower support rod I 2'inlthemanneniillustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings. The platelike elements, or plates I5, when in operative position are compressed between the adjacent. faces of the vertical riser I0, the compressionelement IS, and the spacing or header elements II. The compression element IBand spacing elements I1 are slidably supported'upon and stabilized by the rods I2 and I3 and-are provided with-suitable openings through which the auxiliary support rod I 4' extends.

Each of the rods 'I2- and- I3isprovided at-its freeend with a-hand wheel I8' threaded thereto. Suitable sleeve members I'Sare telescoped over the rods I 2* and I3 intermediate the hand wheels land the compression element I6,- and extend through suitable bushings 26in the front-vertical riser or base element -I I. Thedescribed arrangement of hand wheels I8 and compression sleeves I9 are used-to apply compressiveforce against compression element -I6-,- and in turn-against the plates I5 and spacers crheader-elements I1; and thus enables the'maintenance of theindividual plate-like elements I 5, spacing-elements I1" and compression element I6 in the desired operative relation with respect to one another. The heat exchange media-to be used in the plate heat-exchanger embodying the-present invention may be introduced into the spaces formed between adjacent plates I5 in conventional-manners common in the art as, for-"example, bymeans of suitable connections and flow passages embodied in the rear riser I0; the spacingor-header elements I I, and-the compression element-I 6.

Each of the plates I5 is provided withan-inwardly extending lower peripheral slot 20 and an inwardly extending upper peripheral slot" 2I positioned along the vertical center line of the plate. These notches are 'of a dimension slightly greater in width than thedimension'of the rods I2 and I3, and are provided-withrounded inner ends of a diameter slightly in excess of the-diameter of the rods I2 and-I3. --'Each of the-plates is also provided with twooppositely positioned apertures 22 and 23. The lower aperture 22 and the upper aperture23, as clearly shown in-Figure 1 of the drawings, are so positioned that a line joining the centralportion of the apertures 22 and'23 will bisect a'li-nejoining the mid-portions of theslots'2D and 2|. The apertures 22 and 23 are spaced laterally of the slots 20 and 2| respectively. In the-assembly of the plates I5 into the compressionframeworkof the plate type heat exchanger, eachof theplates is supported-upon the lower support rod I2 by the engagement-of the plate I5' against the rod I2 in such amanner that the rod I2-is received into the slot 23. Likewise, the stabilizingrod I3 is received in the upper slot- 2I' and the locking rod I4 is received into the upper aperture 23. In this manner-each of the plates I5 'is securely locked onto the supporting rods I2, I3- and I4 in such a .dividual plate, when thus separated from the remaining plates of the assemblage, will be maintain'edtin"substantially vertical position while resting upon the lower support rod I2 and stabilized against any appreciable transverse tilting bythe stabilizing rod I 4 which passes through the openingziiin' the upper portion of the plate.

.By this arrangement it is possible in the compression of the plates I5 in the press of the plate heat exchanger whenthe hand wheels I8 are tightened to secure the desired accurate alignment between" thegaskets 24 of each plate. and

the-adjacenti'ace-of the embossed'gasket rib 25 'in the next-juxtaposed plate or the group of plates 1 5 withinthe heat exchanger.

"wv'hen' it 'is desired to ..clean or inspect any individual -platei'of the group.of plates used in the plate'heat exchangeritis necessary only, as clearly illustratedin'Flgures 3. and 4 of the drawingsgtot release Zthecompression ,upon the plates by the appropriaterotationot the hand wheels I8 and jthes. separation oiitheplates by sliding someofithe' platesaxially along the rods I2 and I3. .sHaving separatedaigroupwof plates a sumcienti'distanne;adjacentthetplate which is to be swung outifor. inspection orcleaning. it is then necessary only. to, swingthe lower portion of the plate I 5 transversely of the remaining assembled plates .until .lthe: slot 20 :is. completely disengaged gagedathefslotzo from the'lower: support rod I2,

plate? 1511's .then:fi'ee. to beswung laterally of the remaining assembled plates, in the fashion clearly shownin' Figure 4'of the'drawings, by hingedly swingingthe: plate I5 upon the auxiliary support ifobviouslyprthesdimensions of the rods I3'and I4 and thedimensionsof the slot 2I and the aperture 23 must be such as to permit the ready swinging: orrhinging of the plate I5. Such an rarrangementis usually secured by the allowance of 'sufiicientttolerance'in the relative dimensions of the rods I3 and I4, the slots 2I and the aperture 23. :To replacethe plate I5 into the press compression has been relieved, thereby exposing the sides of' the'sep'arated plates. Lateral tiltingoi the platesis'prevented by the engagement ofthe wiills of the-=slots2D and 2I with the adja- -cent surfacepftherods I2 and I3. "transverse tilting of the separated plates is pre- -vented -by"the-engagement of the edge of the Excessive plate defining -theopening 23" with the adjacent surf-ace or the stabilizing rod I4.

To completelyremove 'a' plate I5 from the supporting press' orframework it is necessary to disengage the rod I4. from the left vertical riser I0 and to at least partially withdraw the auxiliary support and stabilizing or looking rod I4 from the assembled plates I5, spacers or headr ers l1, and compression element 16. Having thus removed the rod [4, the pressure upon the plates l5 may be released'in the manner heretofore described by the appropriate rotation of thehand wheels l8. The plates l5 may then be separated at the point at which a plate is to be removed from the press. Such separation, as heretofore described, is secured by the axial sliding of the decompressed or released plates l5 along the support rods I 2 and I3. Having thus opened the press to the extent generallyindicated inthe illustrative Figure 3 of the drawings, it'isthen necessary, first, to swing either the lower or upper for the supporting rods referred to in the de-' scription of the preferred embodimentof the inend of the plate IE to be removed transversely of r the remaining plates until the slot or 21 has been disengaged from the associated rod' i2 or l3. When either the slot 20 or H has been disengaged from the corresponding rod I: or is in a manner generally indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the disengaged end of the plate may then be swung laterally of the remaining plates a sufficient distance until all of the disengaged end of the plate is entirely clear of the associated support or stabilizing rod, in a manner generally indicated in Figure 4 of the drawings. In this latter position the remaining slot of the plate :5 may then be disengaged from the corresponding support or stabilizing rod and the plate I5 entirely removed from the" press. In the event sufficient space is available, the plate may be disengaged from both rods l2 and i3 by extending the transverse tilting of the plate, in which event lateral tilting is, of course, not necessary. To insert a new plate in the press or supporting framework, or to replace an old plate which has been entirely removed from the press in the manner just described, it is necessary only to reverse the procedure just described for completely removing a plate.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a new and novel arrangement for the support of a platelike element in a plate heat exchanger orlike device, in which the plate-like elements are sup ported in such a manner that individual platelike elements may be partially removed from the press, and in that position hingedly supported upon an auxiliary support for cleaning and inspection. The partially removed plate-like element may be readily replaced in the press without disassembling any portion of the remaining plates, headers, spacers or compression elements. It will be equally obvious that according to the present invention a plate or like element may be entirely removed from the press in the manner described after a relatively simple adjustment of the looking or auxiliary support and stabilizing or hinge rod 14.

The described structure is particularly well adapted to permit the separation of the decompression plates and the support of individual plates out of contact with adjacent plates, to permit cleaning thereof without any additional stabilization of the plates and without any undue tilting of the individual :plates during cleaning operations.

It will be appreciated that in devices embodyin the present invention, the supporting rods readily may be arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane instead of being arranged in substantially the same vertical plane, as illustrated in the drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention. Similarly, it will immediately be obvious to those skilled in the art that means other than rods may readily be substituted vention. Accordingly, it is desired that thi invention should not be limited to the specifically described vertical arrangement of the plate-like elements and supporting rods or members.

Having thus described the illustrated and preferred embodiment of this invention in a plate or the like type of apparatus, the invention is not to be restricted to the specifically illustrated embodiment thereof, as set forth in the drawings and as heretofore described, except insofar as necessary by the prior art disclosures and the appended claims. 1 i

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a press including a lower support rod and an upper stabilizing rod and an auxiliary support rod, a plurality of plate-like elements disengageably hinged to said auxiliary support rod at corresponding ends of said plate-like elements and disengageably supported upon said lower support rod and adaptedto swing laterally relative to one another from a position in which the plates are supported in close side by side arrangement upon saidlower support rod into positionsin which the plates are disengaged from said lower support rod and remain disengageably hinged to said auxiliary support rod.

2. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a press for a plurality of plates including a fixed base element and a fixed horizontally disposed support element, horizontally disposed auxiliary support means disengageably secured to said fixed base element and spaced from said support element, plate-like elements engaging said support element for disengageable support thereupon, an aperture in each of said plate-like elements through which said auxiliary support means passes, whereby upon the disengagement of said auxiliary support means from said fixed base element said auxiliary support means may be withdrawn through the aperture in said plate-like elements and said plate-like elements disengaged from said support element.

3. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a press for a plurality of plates, including a fixed base element and a fixed horizontally disposed support element, horizontally disposed stabilizing means disengageably secured to said fixed base element and spaced from said support element, plate-like elements engaging said support element for disengageabie support thereon, an aperture in each of said plate-like elements through which said stabilizing means extends, whereby said plates may be supported in substantially vertical position upon said support means and stabilized in such position by said stabilizing means.

4'. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a press for a plurality of plates including a fixed base element, fixed horizontally disposed upper and lower parallel support and stabilizing elements, horizontally disposed auxiliary stabilizing means disengageably secured to said fixed base element and spaced from the upper support and stabilizing element, plate-like elements engaging said upper and lower support and stabilizing elements for support thereupon and stabilization against lateral motion thereby, an aperture in each of said plate-like elements through which said auxiliary stabilizing means extends, whereby individual plate-like elements may be supported upon the lower support, and stabilizing element in substantially vertical arenem es;

7 rangement stabilized; against appreciable .lateral or transverse .motion .with-respectta said. upper and lower. support meansand saidauxiliarystabilizingmeans.

5.. A device of the class,.describedcomprising, in combination,. av press including a lower support rod and; arr-upper. stabilizingrodand anauxiliary stabilizing and; support rod,.a plurality of platelike elements disengageablyhinged tov said auxiliary stabilizingand-support rod at..correspond ing ends. of -said.plate-.like.elements and. supported upon. said .lower support. rod and stabilized by said .upperstabilizingrod insubstantially vertical arrangement in such a manner :thatthe amount of transverse tilting. of 'theplate is.lim ited .-by. .the'.engagement..-of..the .plate with the auxiliary stabilizingrod.

6.-,.A device .of the. class ,.described. comprising the combination of. a.-.frame.having anupper .supporting member. and .a. .lower supporting. memher, a. plurality of .closely. spaced plate-like elements. each provided .withan upper peripheral notch and..a..low.er peripheral notch, .said upper and .lower. notches being. engaged with isaid corresponding upper and lower. supporting members with. clearance said,plate.-.like elements a bein supported on..the. lower supporting-.member and stabilized against. lateral...displacement; by said upper supporting member,:each oisaidplate-like elements bein -providedwithan aperture aligned with corresponding. apertures in the other-platelike. elements, anda longitudinally .slidable supportingmd arrangedlaterally of, onev of said supportingemembersl and, spaced LthereIrom .and removably. passedthroukh the aligned apertures .in saidiplate-likenelements said peripheral notches being engaged with .Lthe respective supporting members with sufiicientjclearance. so that after the-adjacent plate-like elements have been shitted; away a; suflicient distance .from. an individual element-the.lattercanibe. swung out of, its vertical plane until one of the notches clearsthe corresponding supporting member while said supporting rod.is:engaged .through .the aperture of the element.

- CHARLES .B. .DALZELL.

lmnennnens crrnn .The following references are of-record in the file of this; patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS .Number .lName .Date 2,186,501 Seligman..et.al..- Jan. 9, 1940 2,252,916 Crosby. Aug., 19, .1941 2,256,904 Kintner Sept..23, 1941 2,428,880 ..Kintner. Oct. 14,- 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 62,142 Denmark Sept. 2, 1936 413,811 GreatBritain 'July 26, 1934 653,877 Germany Dec.- 4, 1937 

